Two Wrongs Make a Right
by Alaska829Snow
Summary: Swan Queen Week! Theme: Truth Serum. Dedicated to the beautiful Aimée.


**This story is for Swan Queen Week's theme of "truth serum." It is dedicated with crazy, crazy amounts of love to Aimee (ofthespookypumpkinvariety) who has been one of my biggest supporters EVER and who is also an amazing, lovely friend. This is HER fic completely because she talked me into writing it :) Also, it's unedited (OK, it was edited while I was on Skype with members of Swen) so any mistakes are mine! Hope you enjoy! **

* * *

Henry is a meddler. He always has been and probably will be for as long as he lives. Which is why he can't accept it: the idea that his moms, who finally started to actually like each other, aren't even talking because of some stupid, ridiculous reason that makes absolutely no sense to anyone who has been paying attention.

"This is such bullshit!" He yells, unable to stop himself from launching his anger in his mom's direction. The current argument started when she informed him that she didn't want to eat at Granny's simply because Emma _might_ be there.

Rationally speaking, Henry knows this whole situation isn't his mom's fault. But she's not exactly helping matters, either. And he's already _so_ over it that he can't stand it a second longer.

"Henry Mills," Regina scolds as the words fly out of his mouth. "That is more than enough. And it is certainly no way to talk to your mother. I didn't raise you to speak with such a filthy mouth. I don't know what you learned in New York, but I will not allow it under this roof. Do you understand me?"

"No, Mom, I _don't _understand you," he spits back genuine frustration. "Because I was standing right there when you grabbed Emma's hand and literally told her you would give her a happy ending and trusted her to take care of me for what you thought was _forever_."

"My extreme disdain for Ms. Swan is irrelevant to her parenting abilities. Her sheer idiocy in most matters does not prevent her from being a somewhat adequate mother. And if you'll recall, I didn't have many alternative options at the time. I couldn't let you be cursed by Pan. I love you, Henry. I love you more than anything."

"No, no, no," Henry protests. Because she's changing the subject and trying to distract him with how much she loves him and he's not going to let her get away with it. "I know that—but that doesn't mean—you still didn't have to…"

He doesn't know how to put what he feels into words. But he knows he's feeling something that he simply can't ignore.

He gets that his mom had to send him and Emma away to save them. But he knows, somewhere deep down, that it was more than that. He saw the look in both of their eyes—the tears and the unspoken trust. He knows his moms are important to each other.

So he's not just going to sit idly by and watch them go back how it used to be before the curse. Because Henry is a meddler. And maybe he's also inherited Emma's killer gut instincts—and right now that instinct is telling him that there is far more to this whole story then there appears to be.

"There is something else going on here and the fact that you don't trust me enough to tell me…" he wants to say _is seriously fucking bullshit _but he has a feeling that won't go over well… "…it sucks, OK? After everything you and Emma have been through….after everything the three of us have been through…I really thought things would be different now that everything has calmed down."

"You're angry at me," Regina surmises, as her voice softens. And he feels a little guilty about how upset she looks—but in the end this will be for her own good. Because Emma's friendship is for her own good, even if his mom doesn't know it yet.

"I'm only mad because I really don't believe for one second that this is about Robin or Marian."

"Then what do you think it _is _about?"

"I don't know," Henry admits. "But I'm the son of the two most powerful women in the world. Which means that I'm smart enough to somehow figure it out, even if you don't want me to."

"Henry—"

And the more he talks, the more pissed he gets. Because his mom knows he hates lying more than anything and she is so clearly lying to him once again.

"Haven't you learned that I always figure out what you don't want me to?"

It's too far; he knows as soon as he says it. But it's too late. He already said it and he has to sell it. So he turns around, marches out of the kitchen and out the front door.

* * *

"Something is going on with her," Henry tells Emma over dinner at Granny's. As usual, the subject of his mom comes up immediately.

"She got her heart-broken, kid," Emma replies, as she takes a bite out of her burger. "And heart-break seriously sucks…you'll see someday. If she needs to take it out on me for a while, I'm alright with that. It's the least I can do, really."

"No," Henry rebuts, because she's missing the whole point. _Everyone_ is missing the point. "I'm telling you, she didn't even like Robin that much."

"Are you sure? Because the fact that she stopped talking to me entirely would suggest she was pretty invested in the relationship…"

Henry doesn't understand how he is the only one who can see it but it's frustrating as hell. Maybe he's the only one who knows his mom well enough to read her facial expressions or see through the act she puts on. Usually Emma can see through his mom's act, too. Which is why he doesn't get why this time is so different.

"They didn't even like each other when they were back in the Enchanted Forest. And then suddenly they're together for a few days and now she's acting like her whole world is shattered just because he was reunited with his almost dead wife? You can't really be buying this."

"Henry—I don't know what to tell you," Emma sighs. She clearly wants to change the subject but he's not going to let that happen. "It's really not my business."

"Yes, Ma, it is your business."

"How do you figure?"

"Because I know you care about her," Henry argues and he's happy when she instantly nods in agreement. "So that means you should care that something is going on with her. And you should know that we need get to the bottom of whatever it is."

"I sense an 'operation' emerging but this one is far too dangerous," Emma warns him. "This isn't the time for us to mess with your mom or her feelings. Seriously, I mean it."

"So, you won't help me find out she's really mad at you?"

"I already know why she's mad at me."

"No you don't. And things were so much better when you two were getting along."

"Yeah, I know," Emma frowns and he senses the genuine, heartfelt sadness in her voice. "They definitely were."

And there it is again, Henry thinks, the incessant feeling in his gut.

"But here's thing, kid: if Regina isn't telling us the truth about what she's feeling, we really can't force her to do otherwise."

Which, Henry figures, is technically true.

But then again, it's probably not because this is Storybrooke. And he's pretty sure that with a little bit of magic he definitely_ can_ force his mom to do otherwise.

And even though Emma just told him to leave well enough alone, he's already decided to do the exact opposite.

* * *

It's a little bit pathetic how fast Gold gives him the spell. It's even worse how few questions the Dark One asks about his intentions. Henry only has to mutter something about how Emma needs it for a super important Sheriff's investigation. Henry probably shouldn't use the whole _my mom is the Savior_ card as often as he does. But he doesn't have time to think about that when he's in the middle of something so vitally important.

He returns to Mifflin Street, letting himself in and quickly making his way to the kitchen. He brews a cup of his mother's favorite tea and adds a bit of milk and sugar, just the way she likes. The last thing he puts in—the truth serum—is completely clear and supposedly tasteless. According to Gold, the spell takes about six hours to start working, so Henry knows he needs to make this happen tonight.

"Mom?" He pretends to be searching the house, but he already knows where she is: undoubtedly seated in the study next to the fireplace. She always goes there when she wants to be alone and think or cry.

"You're back," she notes quietly, as he walks into the room.

"Of course I am. I live here."

"When it suits you."

It's a relatively small dig and one he probably deserves for bringing up the curse earlier. It's really hard not to cuddle up to her and tell her how much he loves her and that everything he's doing is going to make her life better. He knows he has to focus and not get distracted by how much he wants to hug her.

"I'm sorry I overreacted," he tells her as he walks closer to the couch. "It's just…I heard all these stories about how you and Emma worked together in Neverland but I didn't get to see it. Then you two were getting along so well but I didn't have my memories, so it didn't mean as much to me. And I wish it was still like that now."

"I'm sorry, Henry," she looks up at him, tears that she's refusing to let spill evident in her eyes. "I truly wish that things were different. But sometimes—most of the time, actually—life doesn't work out the way we want it to."

That's exactly the opposite of what his grandparents tell him. He comes from a family where one half expects the very best and the other half expects the absolute worst. It's made him into what he would call a very cautious optimist, which he feels like is an OK combination.

"I made you some tea," he offers up the mug as an apology, knowing full-well that she's going to take the bait.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Did you already eat?"

He's hurt her before and he'll probably hurt her again and he knows she will always love him and make sure he's eaten, no matter how upset she is.

"Yeah. I'm just going to go do my homework and go to bed."

"OK, goodnight," she pulls him in close for a kiss on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He walks away—but not before one, final comment. "Oh, Emma says _Hi_."

His mom physically cringes. But he ignores it. Because he knows he will fix it once and for all in the morning.

* * *

Henry wakes up the next day and his mom has already left for work, which he did not anticipate at all. It means two very important things. First, she is definitely still upset and doesn't want to face him. Second, she is currently walking around Storybrooke with the inability to speak anything but the truth.

And, well…_fuck_. Because his plan is already falling apart. He was going to talk to her at breakfast, find out the real reason she's so mad at Emma and then use the antiserum Gold gave him to reverse the spell immediately. But now….

Henry can hear the school bus driving down his street from his open window and he knows he is in serious trouble. Because if he doesn't show up at school, both of his moms will get a phone call within seconds (there are downsides to being the son of the two most infamous people in town). But if he doesn't get to his mom ASAP who the hell knows what will happen.

Ugh, he groans. Why does he have to be such a meddler?

* * *

Regina approaches Granny's diner like she does every morning before work. It's the safest time to sneak into Storybrooke's most popular establishment because she knows the Sheriff is already at the Station and she won't have to deal with any unwanted run-ins.

"Hello, Regina," Archie greets as he exits the diner, holding open the door for her. "How are you today?"

"Miserable," she responds.

"What?" He's taken aback because he was obviously just making small talk; he wasn't expecting such an honest answer and, quite frankly, she hadn't meant to give him one. "Why? What's wrong?"

"_Emma_."

She has no idea why the name falls out of her mouth, even if it's technically true. She starts to wonder if she took some sort of medication instead of her vitamins. Though she realizes there isn't anything stronger than Motrin in her house.

"Do you want to talk about it? You know my door is always open…"

"No," she says firmly. Because she doesn't want to talk to him or anyone about any of this. She just wants it all to go away.

So, she pushes by him and walks into the diner. She promptly takes her seat in a booth and holds up the menu—pretending to read the content that she long ago memorized—hoping it will ward off unwanted company.

But she should've known better than to think her luck would be that good.

"Morning!" she recognizes the all-too-cheery voice of her former-nemesis without even looking up. And before Regina can stop it, Snow is sitting down across from her with a sleeping baby in her arms. An adorable little boy who reminds Regina so much of a young Henry that it pains and warms her heart all at once.

"That's the cutest damn baby I've ever seen, Snow."

_What the hell_? She definitely didn't mean to say that.

"Thank you," the woman seems surprised but also not that surprised by the compliment, as she smiles widely at her three-week-old. "I'm just completely in love with him. He's absolutely perfect."

"I'm so happy for you."

And that's when Regina knows for sure that something is terribly wrong. Because that—the ridiculous statement she just made—is a thought she could hardly admit to herself and not something she would ever in a million years or realms dream of saying out loud.

Come to think of it, she doesn't seem to be in control of anything she is saying out loud.

"Coffee, ladies?" Granny stands next to their table, holding a still steaming pot.

"No, thank you," Regina denies before adding, "Everyone drinks your coffee because we have no better option in this town but it is truly horrific. My biggest regret is that I failed to build a Starbucks into the curse."

Granny looks at her like she's about to go get her cross-bow from behind the counter and Snow lets out a small giggle signifying that she might actually agree with the blunt statement.

"Excuse me," Regina gets up. Because this isn't her. Well, it is. But it's too much of her on public display. And she knows it has to be magic. There is no other rational explanation. "I really have to go."

* * *

When Emma picks up Henry from school, he tries to tell her that he needs to get something from his house. But Emma is tired and cranky and insists that she just wants to go to home and they can get whatever he needs after dinner.

So Henry kind of wants to throw up. Because he still hasn't heard from his mom and he's desperate to get to her before his plan blows up in his face. That is, if it hasn't already.

The Bug pulls up outside the Charming's apartment and the duo get out of the car. As soon as they do, Henry sees his mother running towards them—looking like a tornado in sky-high heels that's about to destroy everything in its path.

"Henry Mills!" He instantly knows that she knows and that he's about to get in the most trouble of his life. "What did you to do me?!"

"Whoa, whoa, Regina," Emma tries to calm her in the way that only she can. "What's going on? Are you OK?"

"He used magic on me!" Regina frantically reports. Henry can't tell if she's angry or about to cry over his betrayal, though it's probably some mixture of the two. "Gold told me you came to him and asked for a spell, claiming that Emma needed it. You used truth serum on me, didn't you? You slipped it in my tea last night?"

"What the hell, kid?" Emma's looking at him now with questioning, disappointed eyes. "Did you do that?"

"I needed to know the truth," he reasons, his gaze darting between two increasingly angry mothers. "I had no choice."

"Jesus Christ," Emma barks back at him. "If someone doesn't want to talk about something, you have to accept that! If your own mom doesn't want to talk about something, you _really_ have to accept that. This is the most disrespectful thing you've ever pulled. You are so, so grounded. For—like— basically ever."

"I'm sorry," he mutters, even though he's definitely not sorry at all. Not even a little, tiny bit.

"Seriously, Regina, are you OK? I don't even know what to…"

"Where is the antiserum, Henry?" His mom demands, ignoring Emma completely. "Gold said you have it."

"No," he lies, because unlike her he still has the ability to. "I don't have it."

"Kid, you're so full of crap. Give Regina the thing to make it stop!"

"I don't have it!"

"Very well. I'll find a way to replicate it on my own," his mom says, acting apathetic to his refusal. "Ms. Swan, I trust you can handle his grounding as it is your night with him."

"Wait!" Henry shouts as she begins to walk away. Because if he's going to be grounded until he goes to college, he's at least going to prove his point. "Why are you mad at Emma?"

"Because she brought Marian back from the past."

Emma rolls her eyes at him as if to say _I told you so, idiot son of mine _but he's not done yet. Not yet. It might be the truth. But it's not the whole truth.

"So what you're saying is that you're upset because that means you can't be with Robin anymore?"

"No. I'm not upset that I can't be with Robin. I never wanted to be with Robin in the first place."

"….Wait, what?" Emma says, as she furrows her brow, processing the words. And Henry knows even though he's in massive shit, he also officially has his blonde mother's full attention.

Because he fucking knew it. He knew it and no one believed him. But it's true. And the fact that he was right only fuels him to push the subject.

"Then why are you so upset that Marian came back, Mom?"

"Because it ruined the only revenge I had left to cling onto."

"What revenge?" Henry asks, and now he's admittedly a little bit nervous. Because, historically, his mother and revenge are a nasty combination. She's different now, of course—he knows that. But he's still worried about where this is going.

"I needed to show Emma that if she insists on choosing the worthless, handless wanderer over me…well, two can play that game."

As his mom says the words, it looks like she wants to rip off her own mouth for betraying her so fiercely. She's biting onto her bottom lip so hard Henry thinks it's probably bleeding.

"Wait—what game?" He asks—because he thought he was in control of this, but he doesn't understand what she's saying in the slightest. He's not following the logic. "You're saying you don't like Hook? But, why?"

"Henry, stop," Emma begs. Because now there are tears streaming from his mom's eyes and her face is ten different shades of red and she's clenching her fists so, so tight. "You have to stop this."

But it's too late. The question has already been asked. And the spell means his mom has to answer.

"Because I'm in love with Emma," she chokes out. "And I have been for so damn long that I don't even remember what it's like not to be filled with a constant, all-consuming affection for her that I'm quite sure is going to kill me any day now."

Henry really, really doesn't know what the fuck he just did but he feels so light-headed he wonders if he's going to pass out. Because this is not what he was expecting at all. And he's relatively certain he just blew his entire universe straight to hell.

Emma tries to run towards his mom as soon as the confession is spilled, but she poofs away so fast that neither of them stood a chance of stopping her.

"You knew about this the whole time?" Emma turns to him, shaking with rage. "You knew how she felt and you did _this_ to her?"

"No, I…I didn't know. I just thought…" he can barely speak but he tries because Emma has to understand he didn't mean for this to happen. He was right but he was also so very wrong. And he wants to turn back time but the aunt he had that could make that happen is dead so that's not exactly an option. "I'm sorry… I just had a feeling there was more to the story."

Clearly this was the worst decision he's ever made. And that includes the time he ripped his own heart out of his chest and gave it to his evil great-grandfather Peter Pan.

"Well, I hope you're happy," Emma snarls back. "It looks like you were right."

* * *

Emma doesn't have much of a choice but to tell her parents what happened. It's sort of impossible to lie about after they witness her drag Henry into the apartment, toss him into his room and violently slam the door.

So Emma tells Snow and Charming—line by line—exactly what happened. She thought they would be shocked and maybe even a little disturbed but instead they are huddled together looking like two teenage girls gossiping in the locker room.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh!" Snow says. And it's all she's really said in about two minutes. Finally, she adds a few actual words. "It just makes_ so_ much sense."

"The trigger, Neverland, their magic, how rude Regina was to Robin in the Enchanted Forrest," David recounts in agreement. "It does make a lot of sense."

"She wasn't just mourning Henry when she ripped her heart out, she was mourning Emma, too. Then she finally gets them back—against all odds—and Hook is pursuing Emma…David, we are _so _blind."

"Um, hey, yeah," Emma interjects because they are literally acting like she isn't even there and it's more than a little big infuriating. "Is there any possible way I could be included in this conversation?"

"Sorry," Snow turns to her. "This is …._wow_."

"Yeah, trust me, I'm aware of the wow factor. I don't need any reminders."

"Emma, sweetheart, if you're not interested you have to handle this with incredible care. Regina just started to piece herself back together and…"

She zones out momentarily and thinks this would probably be a hell of a lot easier if she _wasn't_ interested. Because then she could just send Regina a _thanks but no thanks _card in the mail and avoid her for the rest of her life. It would awkward and horrible but it would definitely be easier than coming to face with the truth.

"Who says I'm not interested?"

"Oh!" Snow squeals even louder and is even jumping up and down a little bit. "Oh, oh, _oh_!"

"Ugh," Emma groans, resting her forehead on the kitchen counter. "Not again."

But it does happen again—they're back at it within seconds.

"Emma has always been the first one to stick up for her," her father says. "And protect her."

"And believe in her and encourage her to be better not just for Henry's sake but…"

"Enough!" Emma shouts before they can continue to list off the reasons they should've seen this coming all along. "You are legitimately useless to me at the moment and I am in desperate need of actual advice."

"Sorry," Snow repeats for the second time in five minutes. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know because Regina is missing," she informs them, sick to her stomach at the thought. "Henry fucked up big time and I should've stopped him from asking her questions right away. I just got so overwhelmed when she started talking. It was a huge violation of trust and she may have been in love with me an hour ago but I'm pretty sure she has every reason to hate me now."

"You've looked for her in all the obvious places?" David inquires.

"Yeah, I did. And I really don't want to give her time to sit there and think that I don't lo…"

Emma wants to finish the sentence but she can't even handle it because her parents are looking at her like she came home from school with a straight-A report card.

"God, can you two please stop smirking. This is the least helpful conversation I've ever had."

But they keep on smirking.

And Emma is clearly going to have to figure this out on her own.

* * *

Emma has a plan. And she actually thinks it's not a bad one. But the biggest problem remains she has no idea where Regina is. And if the plan is going to work, she's going to need to find her relatively soon.

"Henry, give me the damn antiserum," Emma demands, as she walks into his room to find him sulking on his bed. "I know you have it."

Wordlessly, he pulls it out of his backpack and hands it over.

"What you did was so many levels of not OK. I'm so furious at you and I don't even know how you're going to _begin_ to earn your mom's trust back."

"I know," he says solemnly. "I'm really sorry."

The thing about Henry is that he's a good kid with good intentions who so often doesn't know how to carry those intentions out. It makes sense though, considering who his moms are. Emma knows that her and Regina also have the best of intentions but are fucking up constantly. The fact that he's following so closely in their footsteps should surprise absolutely no one.

"Where do you think your mom is?" She asks, because no one knows Regina better than Henry which is exactly what got them into this mess. "I need to find her."

"Did you go to her vault? There's a secret room somewhere in the back."

"If it's _secret_ room, how exactly do you propose I get in?"

"Can you use magic?"

"You think I can magic my way there?" She scoffs. "Pretty sure that's not going to work when I don't even know where _'there'_ is."

"Oh, right."

But then Emma thinks of Regina telling her that she possesses incredible raw potential and power. If Regina believes in her, and think she's unstoppable, then maybe….

"But I guess it's worth a shot."

"What are you going to say to her when you find her?"

"I don't know yet."

Because that part of the plan? Emma hasn't exactly worked it out yet.

"How are you going to tell her you don't love her?" Their son looks up, fear written all over his face. "Please, I don't want her to be evil again. I don't want to lose her again."

"Kid, you know what? You're really smart but you're also really, really stupid."

"Why?"

"Because I'm _not_ going to tell her that I don't love her."

"You're going to lie to her? But…"

"No."

She watches as the light bulb finally goes off. "You love my mom?"

"Yes," she admits. And it feels oddly good to say out loud after three hundred and sixty five days in New York of not understanding the voice in her head telling her there was something really important she was supposed to be doing—like finding her way back home to her family and to the woman who gave her everything she ever dreamed of.

"But you kissed Hook."

"Yeah and your mom kissed Robin. But the truth serum doesn't lie, right?"

"I don't understand."

Of course he doesn't. How could he? He's just a kid. And her relationship with Regina is the most complicated one of her entire life.

"Trust me, I barely understand it myself."

Henry expects her to have all the answers because she's the Savior. But if there's one thing Emma has learned from Regina (OK, she's learned a lot of things from her) it's that life isn't simple and definitely not always black and white.

"Look, here's the thing," Emma bends down to meet Henry's eye-line and touch his chin, just like Regina always does. "Sometimes people make really stupid decisions when they're scared or emotional or hurt—like kissing the wrong person to distract themselves from the way they_ really_ feel."

A small, victorious smile tugs at Henry's lips—one that makes him look all too much like his grandparents.

"Don't give me that face," she warns. "Because no matter how this ends, you're still grounded forever."

* * *

Emma arrives in Regina's hiding place so easily that it's a little disorienting. The room she finds herself in is lavish and gorgeous and just so, incredibly Regina. But Emma doesn't have time to think too hard about the Evil Queen outfits or the giant picture of a horse hanging on the wall. Not when the woman she's been searching for is curled up on the couch asleep with tear-stains still on her cheeks and mascara smudged underneath her eyes.

"Regina," Emma bends down next to the couch and gently nudges her shoulder, hoping to wake her but not frighten her. The latter is a failure and Regina jumps at her touch as soon as she realizes who it is.

"How the hell are you here?" There's no venom behind her words, just genuine confusion. The brunette sits up and looks at her with awe and definitely a little bit of embarrassment.

"Magical poof thing," Emma explains. "Hey, what's that actually called, anyway?"

"There is no official name that I'm aware of."

And this is good, Emma thinks. Regina is talking to her which is more than she ever really expected considering the events of earlier that day.

"I brought you something," she tells her, holding up the vial. "Antiserum, in case you didn't make your own yet."

Regina silently takes the item into her hands. "Are you sure you don't want to take further advantage of my current state?"

"I would _never_ take advantage of you," Emma places both of her hands just above Regina's knees. It's a risk, but it pays off because Regina doesn't push her away or set her hands on fire. "I had no idea what Henry was planning. I'm so sorry our kid is such a little shit sometimes. He seems to think that because he was right about the curse, he's right about everything."

Regina takes a sip of the antiserum and Emma watches the relief instantly wash over her. "He was right about this too though, wasn't he?"

And, yes, technically Henry was right. None of this has ever been about Robin Hood and Emma is really angry with herself for not seeing it. But that's not why she's here and she's certainly not going to rub anything in Regina's face. She hates that Regina thinks she might.

"I brought something else," Emma says. She pulls out a second vial, the one she got from Gold earlier that afternoon. "It's more truth serum. I'll drink it and you can ask me anything in the whole world and then we'll be even, OK?"

"No," Regina rejects the idea straightaway. "Two wrongs don't make a right. Isn't that the Charming family motto? Turn the other cheek, or some nonsense?"

"You and me, Regina?" Emma says with a light-hearted chuckle. "We are most definitely two wrongs. But I also think we make a right."

Emma chugs the liquid down her own throat before Regina can say anything else. "Ask me how I feel about you," she demands.

"No."

Of course, the stubborn woman would refuse her. Regina is trying to hold onto any semblance of control that she has left over the situation. "OK," Emma accepts, not wanting to push too hard. "Then at least ask me what I learned from my trip to the past."

"Why is that relevant?"

"Because I _need_ you to understand."

"Fine," Regina caves. "What did you learn from your trip to the past that is so important for me to know?"

"When I met you there—Evil Queen you—I called you _'Regina.'_ Despite the fact that you had no idea who I was and that Gold had used some glamour spell to make me look completely different. But I still somehow thought that I could get through to you_._ And I realized that I don't make rational decisions when I'm around you. I'm not even capable of it."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, think about it—it's a pattern," Emma continues. "It wasn't rational that I pushed you out of the way of a portal and ended up in the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't rational to march up to a death trigger hoping that I had a shot in hell at deactivating it. It wasn't rational that I kissed Hook when I would obviously rather be kissing you."

The last sentence causes Regina to sharply inhale in shock or relief or maybe a bit of both.

"The year I spent in New York? You were everywhere. I know I didn't remember you but you were with me. When I got back here and saw you again, I didn't know what the hell to do about it. Especially when I got told that you had been given your True Love served up on a silver platter. I told myself that I had to let you be happy and that I had imagined the whole thing between us. So, yeah, I distracted myself with Hook. And I'm really, crazy sorry about that. But in all fairness, you were apparently pulling the same shit on me."

"You started it!"

And Emma thinks that Regina's childish response is typical of them. Because all of this is all so, incredibly childish. Emma wouldn't have kissed Hook if she thought Regina was remotely interested in her and the only thing that pushed Regina to pursue Robin was the fact that Emma appeared to be with Hook.

"Regina, come on. I lo—."

"Stop it!"

The way Regina cuts her off with a furious yell throws her for a loop. But then the brunette grabs her hands and pulls her up so that they are seated on the couch right next to each other, their thighs brushing together.

"Drink up." Regina tells her, as she hands over what's left of the antiserum. Emma doesn't understand the gesture in the slightest.

"But…don't you want to know that I'm telling you the truth when I say this?"

"No dear," Regina's fingertips tenderly trace the outline of her jaw. "I'll believe you."

* * *

Regina is engulfed by the overwhelming comfort of Emma's arms and she's not exactly sure how her day started and ended so differently. And even though she hasn't quite let go of the way the son she loves so dearly manipulated her, she can't stay angry as she feels blonde curls tickle against her cheek bones.

"I almost told you that I loved you at the stake out," Emma says as if she's merely thinking aloud. "When you asked me why I came back from New York… I was so damn close to telling you."

Regina remembers that night well and how painful it was to be so close to Emma but also so very far. The car smelt like Emma and Henry and Regina had wished she could stay inside the strange, claustrophobic vehicle forever.

"I almost told you during our magic lesson, when you came flying back to me on half of a bridge.

"Wait, wait… is _that _why you were fishing for information about Hook that day?"

"Yes."

"Earlier you said you've loved me for a long time," Emma recalls. "When did you first know?"

Regina considers the fact that she has probably always loved Emma in some sense.

"Ironically, I first knew I cared about you the moment the curse broke and you saved me. But I didn't know that I was in love with you until you idiotically jumped off the boat on the way to Neverland. The thought of losing you and Henry in twenty four hours was enough for me to realize..."

"I didn't know I was in love with you until we were at the town line and it was too late."

"Except it's not," Regina reminds her—for once in their lives they haven't ruined things to the point of total, irreversible destruction. "Too late, that is."

"No, it's not."

"However, you do realize our son's ego is going to grow three sizes after this, yes?"

Emma laughs—but then pauses and says, "Maybe we should teach him a lesson."

* * *

Emma walks back into Henry's room and finds him in the exact same spot she left him. "What happened?" He questions. "Did you find her? How'd it go?"

"Horribly," she frowns as she sits down on his bed, trying to pull off a convincingly devastated look. "Kid, I don't think we can stay in town. I think we might need to go back to New York…"

"What?! But you said this was our home and that we were staying. You can't take that back!"

"Well, that was before you decided to stick your nose in your mom's business. Regina hates me and I don't think we can realistically live in Storybrooke."

"No! This isn't fair," he's throwing a fit like a bratty child in a toy-store and if he didn't deserve it she would probably find it a bit less amusing. "The whole point of my plan was to have both of you in my life. New York is too far from my mom. Please, I want to be with her. You can't take me from her. I'm not going."

And that's when Regina glides into the room, a shit-eating grin plastered to her face. "Oh, hello."

"W-what's going on?" Their son questions.

"Could you give me a second, kid?" Emma asks nonchalantly. "I have to talk to my girlfriend."

Henry understands immediately and he jumps up from the bed and into Regina's arms. Emma is slightly worried that he's actually going to knock her over and they're both going to smash their heads against the wood floor. After all, he's a growing teenage boy and Regina is smaller than she seems. It's a fact Emma now knows for certain after having the distinct privilege of holding the woman in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry," Henry repeats over and over as she soothes him in the way only the woman who raised him can. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know you didn't, honey. It's OK. I forgive you."

"And I promise to never, ever meddle again."

Emma's lie detector is going off like crazy. She knows he's full of shit. Henry will probably meddle again tomorrow. He just can't help himself.

But of all the ridiculous schemes Henry has pulled in the time she's known him, this one makes it a bit hard to complain.


End file.
